Frying-pan lid



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lINirnD 'STATES IIIES'IER A. BOWERS, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

FRYlNG-PAN LID.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 310,616,883', dated January 3, 1899.

Application iiled July 17, 1897. Serial No. 644,956. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HInsTER A. BOWERS, of Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Frying-Pan Lids; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in covers for frying-pans and analogous articles; and the object that I have in view is to provide a cover in which the parts are arranged and constructed to secure a free communica# tion between the interior of the vessel and the outside temperature, and also a free circulation of air between the cover-body and the adjustable cap or shell, notwithstanding that the adjustable cap or shell may be turned to a position where its openings are out of coincidence with the openings in the cover-body.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means for converting the device linto either a foraminous cover for free frying or a closed imperforate cover when it is desired to smother the contents of the pan during the cooking operation.

With these ends in View my invention consists of a cover having a raised perforated body, a cap or shell iitted to the perforate part of said body and also provided with perforations which may be brought into or out of coincidence with the perforations in the body, and means for adjustably connecting the cap or shell to the raised part of the body, whereby the cap or shell may be adj listed into facial contact with the body and with its openings either in or out of coincidence with the openings in the body, or the cap or shell may be moved away from the body a limited distance to permit a continuous space between itself and the body for the free circulation of air therebetween.

The invention further consists of a body having a perforated upper part surrounded by an annular seat or ledge, a perforate cap or plate adjustable laterally with relation to the perforate part of the body and also ad= j ustable axially to bring its openings into or out of coincidence with the openings in the body, and means for clamping the cap or plate in xed relation to the body; and the inv-en'- tion further consists in the novel combination of elements and-in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I have illustrated different embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, and in which* Figure l is a perspective View of the preferred embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation through the cover represented by Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation of another construction of the cover embodying my invention.

Like numerals of reference denote like and corresponding parts in each of the several gures of the drawings.

In carrying my invention into practice I construct the body l in a raised form, substantially as represented by the drawings. I prefer to make the body of the curved or dome-shaped contour represented by Figs. l and 2, and at an intermediate point of the height lof said body the metal is bent or doubled to produce the offstanding flange 3,which constitutes the seat for the adjustable cap or shell presently referred to. The upper part of the dome-shaped body above the offstanding seat-Harige 3 is provided with a multiplicity of transverse perforations, as shown Aby Fig. 2; but the remaining portion of the dome-shaped body, below the offstanding seat flange thereof, is solid or imperforate, as indicated by the numeral 2' in the drawings. -The dome-shaped perforated part or section of the body is designed to be inclosed within the adjustable cap or shell 5, which conforms in its longitudinal and transverse contour to the shape of the perforated Lipper part of the body, and this cap or shell 5 isperforated throughout its entire area by a plurality of holes, which are arranged correspondingly to the perforationsin the upper part of the body l, above the seat-flange 3 thereof.

One of the important features of my invention' consists in attaching the perforated cap or shell to the dome-shaped body in a manner to permit the cap or shell to be rotated axially or to be adjusted laterally with respect to the perforated part of the body l. In

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the preferred embodiment of this part of my invention I employ a vertical spindle 4i, which is screwthreaded at its lower end and is m ountedin a correspondin gly-threaded socket at the vertical axis of the dome-shaped body. The spindle 4 has a swiveled connection with the adjustable cap or shell 5 in the plane of the vertical axis thereof, and the upper extremity of said spindle is projected beyond the exposed face of the adjustable cap and formed into a knob or handle, by which it 'may be conveniently rotated, as may be desired in the service of the implement.

The described construction of the spindle and its connection with the dome-shaped body and the cap or shell permit the rotation of the cap or shell on the spindle for the purpose of adj Listing the cap to a position where its openings are in or out of coincidence with the openings in the perforated body, according as may be desired by the user, and at the same time the spindle may be rotated in its bearing on the body to adjust the cap laterally with respect to the body. By rotating the spindle in one direction it may be screwed into the body to bring the cap or shell int-o close lateral relation and actual contact with the perforated part of the body, in `which adjustment of the shell its lower edge rest-s upon and has iirm engagement with the offstanding flange 3 of the body. In this adjustment of the shell it may be rotated on the spindle to bring its apertures coincident with those of the body, and thus permit the free exit of the smoke and vapors from the cover to the outer atmosphere, or, if desired, the shell may be turned sufficiently on the spindle to bring its apertures out of registration with the apertures in the body, thus changing the cover to practically an imper-I forate structure adapted to confine Within itself the vapors which may arise from the cooking vessel. lVhen the spindle is rotated in the opposite direction, the cover is moved laterally away from the perforated dome a sufficient distance to provide a space or chamber between the dome and the shell for the free circulation of air between said dome and shell, and this circulation is attained in either of the axial adjustments of the shell on the spindle-that is to say, the shell may be turned to a position where its apertures register with those of the perforated cover, or the apertures in the shell may be out of alinement with the apertures in the cover without aifecting the circulation of air between the shell and cover when the parts are adjusted as represented by Fig. 2.

An exterior annular trough is arranged around the base of the imperforate part 2 of the dome-shaped cover, and said trough has a horizontal supporting-flange 6 located in a higher horizontal plane than the lower edge of the dome. The interior diameter of this flange 6 is considerably greater than the greatest external diameter of the dome, and

the inner edge of said flange G is joined to the lower edge of the dome by an inclined annular wall 7, which, in connection with the ad# jacent part of the dome, forms the trough or receptacle that isl adapted to receive the condensation of moisture and grease which may accumulate on the external surface of the cover and trickle over the same into the tro ugh, the latter serving to retain such grease and moisture and prevent the same from falling upon the stove or back into the frying-pan.

In the embodiment of the invention as rep resented by Fig. 3 of the drawings the form or the contour of the cover is changed from the dome-shaped form :represented by Figs. 1 and 2 to the cylindrical shape illustrated by Fig. 3. The upper part of this cylindrical cover is provided with a flat disk-like head 8, which is joined to the annular wall by a bead 9, which projects above the horizontal plane of the flat head 8. This bead Qis in a higher horizontal plane than the head 8, and the latter is provided with a plurality of openings and an axially threaded socket. In this socket is screwed the threaded shank of the adj listing-spindle 4f, on which is rotatably mounted or swiveled the cap I0, the latter having the transverse perforations arranged correspondingly to the perforations in the flat head 8. The cover IO is movable vertically with the spindle when the latter is rotated in the threaded bearing of the head 8, and the cap IO is adapted to be turned on its swivel connection with the stem 4L to bring its apertures in alinement with those of the head 8 or to move the head to a position where its openings will not register with the openings in the head. When the plate is lowered by rotating the stem in one direction, the edge of the plate or cap is confined within the offstanding flange 9. This construction of the cover also includes the annular collecting trough '7 and the offstanding horizontal flange 6, by which the cover may be placed upon the edge of the cooking vessel, such as a frying-pan.

When it is desired to fry meat without the possibility of smothering or partially smothering the contents of the pan and at the same time prevent the splashing of grease upon the surrounding surface of the stove, the cap or shell is rotated to bring its perforations coincident with those of the cover-body. The vapors arising from the pan are free to escapo through the perforations in the dome and shell and will .be dissipated largely through the atmosphere; but the moisture resulting from condensation of the vapors upon the cover and the grease carried by the vapors through the cover will become deposited upon the exterior surface of the cover and will trickle or gravitate to the trough or receptacle situated at the bottom of the dome. In

cooking some articles of food it is desirable to employ a closed cover in order to confine the vapors against escape from the cooking IOO IIO

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utensil, and to adapt my structure for this purpose the spindle is rotated to force the cap or shell into engagement firmly with the perforated part of the cover, and said cap or shell is adjusted to have its openings out of alinement with the openings in the cover.

Various modifications of the improved cover might be made-as, for instance, the walls may be concaved or the dome corrugated in order to increase its surface, or the peripheral edge of the flange 6 may be turned down; but the described construction and arrangement of parts constitute a preferable embodiment of the invention, although I do not desire to limit myself to the structural details, and reserve the right to modify, change, or vary them at will within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. A cover for cooking vessels comprising a perforated body, a cap or shell, and means for connecting the cap or shell to the body for adjustment laterally in respect to said body, whereby an air-space may be provided between the cap and the body to establish communication between the interior of the body with the outer atmosphere through the perforations and the air-space, substantially as described.

2. A cover for cooking vessels comprising a perforated body, a perforated cap or shell, and a connecting and adjustingv device between the cap and the body whereby the cap may be adj usted laterally or on its aXis in relation to the body, substantially as described.

3. A cover for cooking vessels comprising a perforated body, an endwise adjustable stem attached to the body, and a perforated cap or shell mounted on the stem for adjustment therewith in relation to the body, substantially as described. p

4. A cover for cooking vessels comprising a perforated body, an endwise -adjustable stem attached to the body, and a perforated cap having a swiveled connection with the stem, whereby the cap may be adj usted with the stem laterally in respect to the body and said cap may also be adjusted on its axis independently of the stem, substantially as described.

5. A cover for cooking vessels comprising a body provided with an ostanding seatflange and perforated throughout its area within said seat-flange, a perforated cap or shell fitted over the body to rest within the seat-liange thereof, and means for connecting the cap or shell adjustably to the body, substantially as described.

6. A cover for cooking vessels comprising a dome-shaped body perforated in its upper section, a perforated cap or shell shaped to fit compactly against the perforated area of the body, and a threaded stem screwed into a central socket of the body and having a loose or swiveled connection centrally to the cap or shell, substantially as described.

7. A cover for cooking utensils consisting of two perforated parts, and means for spac ing said parts' one from the other, to provide an air-space between them, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribin'g witnesses.

IIIESTER A. BOWERS.

Witnesses:

Louis G. J ULIHN, WM. L. FORD. 

